Perdue proposes rearranging education leadership

By GARY D. ROBERTSONAssociated Press Writer

Published: Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:57 p.m.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Gov. Beverly Perdue said Monday she wants to retool North Carolina's public school leadership by consolidating power with a new State Board of Education chairman who would also manage day-to-day operations.

She proposed naming current board member and Cumberland County Schools superintendent Bill Harrison to the new job, which would carry the additional title of chief executive officer.

Perdue said the increased responsibility for Harrison would improve a 1.5 million-student education system — often criticized for its shared decision-making structure — by eliminating the lines between policy and operations.

"I believe the people of North Carolina believe that the governor ... is responsible for education in North Carolina and the buck stops right now with me," Perdue told reporters at a news conference.

"This is the most important job in North Carolina at this point in time," Perdue said of the new post. "He literally has North Carolina's future in his hands."

Perdue needs some help to complete the task. Perdue appointed Harrison to the board, but the full panel must elect Harrison chairman and give him the increased authority. Most of the current board members were appointed by former Gov. Mike Easley, but the new governor said she would be able to get approval.

"If I can't deliver that then I can't deliver much of anything," said Perdue, who was on the board the past eight years as lieutenant governor.

If approved by the board, Harrison could begin as early as next month, Perdue spokesman Tim Crowley said.

As part of the changes, current chairman Howard Lee would step down and take another new position as executive director of the North Carolina Education Cabinet. That panel includes University of North Carolina system president Erskine Bowles and community college system president Scott Ralls, both of whom attended the announcement.

Perdue has said she wants to revive the panel to improve cooperation among leaders for programs from pre-kindergarten through higher education. Lee, a former state senator and Chapel Hill mayor, was appointed to the board by Easley in 2003.

One of Harrison's top tasks will be to increase a high school graduation rate in which three out of 10 students don't graduate in five years.

"We'll do everything we absolutely can to make sure that not one of them drop out and they all have the opportunity to attend one of our community colleges, private institutions or university system," said Harrison, who previously served as superintendent in Orange and Hoke counties.

Perdue said the post of deputy state superintendent would be eliminated. Deputy superintendent J.B. Buxton, a former Easley adviser on education, announced earlier Monday he was stepping down from the post he had held for two years.

Perdue said state schools Superintendent June Atkinson will continue in her role as an "ambassador" to other school officials and the business community to strengthen public schools.

Sen. A.B. Swindell, co-chairman of the General Assembly's education oversight committee, was pleased with Monday's proposed changes, saying local education leaders didn't know where to go in Raleigh to get help.

"This is going to be definitely an improvement," said Swindell, D-Nash, but "I don't think this answers all the questions in my mind's eye."

The superintendent once served as the chief executive officer of the public schools. But the State Board of Education has narrowed the job's role in recent years, giving more responsibilities to the deputy superintendent.

An outside consultant's report a legislative committee is to review Tuesday says the responsibilities between the board, the superintendent and the governor are difficult for outsiders to delineate. Some lawmakers have suggested the superintendent's role become an appointed position.

The governor said the report didn't have a role in her decision but didn't want to spend lots of time trying to change the education structure through amendments to the state constitution.

"I don't believe an elected statewide official is a figurehead and I resent that on behalf of June Atkinson and the voters of North Carolina," said Perdue, who also announced Atkinson would lead a special commission on career development and work force issues.

Lee will leave his salaried job as a member of the state Utilities Commission to take the new paid executive director's post, Crowley said.

<p>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Gov. Beverly Perdue said Monday she wants to retool North Carolina's public school leadership by consolidating power with a new State Board of Education chairman who would also manage day-to-day operations.</p><p>She proposed naming current board member and Cumberland County Schools superintendent Bill Harrison to the new job, which would carry the additional title of chief executive officer.</p><p>Perdue said the increased responsibility for Harrison would improve a 1.5 million-student education system  often criticized for its shared decision-making structure  by eliminating the lines between policy and operations.</p><p>"I believe the people of North Carolina believe that the governor ... is responsible for education in North Carolina and the buck stops right now with me," Perdue told reporters at a news conference.</p><p>"This is the most important job in North Carolina at this point in time," Perdue said of the new post. "He literally has North Carolina's future in his hands."</p><p>Perdue needs some help to complete the task. Perdue appointed Harrison to the board, but the full panel must elect Harrison chairman and give him the increased authority. Most of the current board members were appointed by former Gov. Mike Easley, but the new governor said she would be able to get approval.</p><p>"If I can't deliver that then I can't deliver much of anything," said Perdue, who was on the board the past eight years as lieutenant governor.</p><p>If approved by the board, Harrison could begin as early as next month, Perdue spokesman Tim Crowley said.</p><p>As part of the changes, current chairman Howard Lee would step down and take another new position as executive director of the North Carolina Education Cabinet. That panel includes University of North Carolina system president Erskine Bowles and community college system president Scott Ralls, both of whom attended the announcement.</p><p>Perdue has said she wants to revive the panel to improve cooperation among leaders for programs from pre-kindergarten through higher education. Lee, a former state senator and Chapel Hill mayor, was appointed to the board by Easley in 2003.</p><p>One of Harrison's top tasks will be to increase a high school graduation rate in which three out of 10 students don't graduate in five years.</p><p>"We'll do everything we absolutely can to make sure that not one of them drop out and they all have the opportunity to attend one of our community colleges, private institutions or university system," said Harrison, who previously served as superintendent in Orange and Hoke counties.</p><p>Perdue said the post of deputy state superintendent would be eliminated. Deputy superintendent J.B. Buxton, a former Easley adviser on education, announced earlier Monday he was stepping down from the post he had held for two years.</p><p>Perdue said state schools Superintendent June Atkinson will continue in her role as an "ambassador" to other school officials and the business community to strengthen public schools.</p><p>Sen. A.B. Swindell, co-chairman of the General Assembly's education oversight committee, was pleased with Monday's proposed changes, saying local education leaders didn't know where to go in Raleigh to get help.</p><p>"This is going to be definitely an improvement," said Swindell, D-Nash, but "I don't think this answers all the questions in my mind's eye."</p><p>The superintendent once served as the chief executive officer of the public schools. But the State Board of Education has narrowed the job's role in recent years, giving more responsibilities to the deputy superintendent.</p><p>An outside consultant's report a legislative committee is to review Tuesday says the responsibilities between the board, the superintendent and the governor are difficult for outsiders to delineate. Some lawmakers have suggested the superintendent's role become an appointed position.</p><p>The governor said the report didn't have a role in her decision but didn't want to spend lots of time trying to change the education structure through amendments to the state constitution.</p><p>"I don't believe an elected statewide official is a figurehead and I resent that on behalf of June Atkinson and the voters of North Carolina," said Perdue, who also announced Atkinson would lead a special commission on career development and work force issues.</p><p>Lee will leave his salaried job as a member of the state Utilities Commission to take the new paid executive director's post, Crowley said.</p>